Friday, October 12, 2012

Chicken Tomato Basil Pasta {with White Wine}

Oh, how I love my little tomato plant.

Its not so little anymore - its overgrown and wild and leggy, stretching out over all the surrounding plants. Its packed with green tomatoes at the moment, which makes me a bit nervous, since we've had a few nights close to freezing already. Don't worry - I tuck them in.

This recipe is a made-up-on-the-spot dinner, created from a need to use my little ripe tomatoes. Since my first batch of homemade marinara, I haven't had enough tomatoes ripe at the same time to make that recipe. I needed something a little lighter on the tomatoes but still power packed in flavor, and this pasta is the result! This is the third time I've made it and its been a huge hit each time.

In a large pan or wok, warm olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring often, until they soften and brown. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes. In another pan, cook the sliced chicken breast pieces in olive oil until crispy and brown, then set to one side. While the onions and garlic are browning, cook the pasta with a pinch of salt in a separate large pot. Deglaze the pan cooking the onions and garlic with 3/4 cup of white wine. Add the chicken, tomatoes, and 3/4 cup chicken stock to the pan, increasing the heat to medium high. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid begins to boil down. Add capers, basil, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Drain the cooked pasta, then add the pasta to the pan, tossing and stirring until all noodles are coated with sauce.